[SHORT STORY] Virtual Life and learnings

Published July 24, 2011 by bhavul

The story’s about a boy, who was 17 and a half years old. Lets call him Rohit.
Rohit knew he had gone to sleep in the living room on the sofa they had. He was that much exhausted and tired after he had come from the party late, last night.

……..

Then, some disturbing, squeaky noise from the tv breaks him from the sleep. He, first tries to ignore it, but then, opens his eyes. Turning sideways, he sees the wallclock that shows 10am. The first thing that strikes him was that he missed the football match he had at 6 in the morning.

He seems sad, but realises nothing can be done now and sits up. Seeing the tv on, with his mom watching a reality show on it, he screams at her, “Why the hell are you watching this silly khatron ke khiladi in the morning? Didn’t you see it the last night!” His mom understands that he screamed due to the anger within, for not being able to wake up early for the match. She kindly replies, “should i decrease the volume? You want to sleep more ?”
“No, i’m awake now,” said Rohit.
“Okay, i was watching it because its happening here only, they are shooting near Dwarka today. Just today, and its coming live.”
“Are you serious?”
“Yes! Why would i watch the repeat telecast, that also at 10am?!”
“Wow…! Which sector ? Did they give the exact address? ”
“Somewhere near Dwarka Mod metro station. That location is kind of silent n alone place, perfect for the show! 😀 ”
“Okay, i’m leaving then in 20minutes. I want to see the shooting. Will have breakfast after coming back.”
“Areee…But,….you have to have something before leaving.”
“Maaa…i’ll have something, there are lots of food stalls at metro stations. You don’t worry! ” he winked.

25minutes he took, and he left the home at 10.25. He boarded into the metro heading towards dwarka, the same way as he used to go every alternate day, for coaching classes. The metro looked the same, the people, and everything else was regular and the way it used to be. But, what was going to happen was not regular. He was excited. Even though it was just a TV show. Being a Delhi-ite, one rarely gets to see a Show or a Movie Shooting. He was going to be one. He was happy and anxious.

He looked at his wristwatch. It was 11.05. He had heard faintly on the TV while waking up that its the semi-finals, which meant more stunts and so, the show wasn’t going to be over within 1 hour. He was walking in the streets of dwarka at this time, the ones which were usually dirty, had no homes, was silent during night time, and an iron machines’ factory worked in the daylight. To shorten up, it was a good place for the shooting of horror movies at night. He had been to these streets once, when he bunked his classes. But, since the street had nothing interesting, he had never gone there again.
Walking some more, he found a huge crowd screaming and shouting just like once he had seen people doing in a movie shoot that happened in Delhi long ago but he wasn’t allowed to go there as he was small. Now, he was big. Almost an adult. He could handle himself, he thought and reached the crowd.
When he was awakened at home and discussing about the show with mom, he had seen some stunt was going on related to steel glasses. How blessed was he that day with luck that the very same stunt was still going on…ofcourse, with another contestant. Maybe, it was the semi-finals so the stunts were of longer duration, he thought. He was even happier now that he had not missed any stunt.
5 Minutes later, his cellphone rang with the same tone it had rung in the party last night. It was from dad’s office. That also meant, he had to answer it. So, he moved some steps away from the dense crowd and answered it.
“Hello.”
“Hello, is this Rohit ? ”
“Yes, who’s this ? ”
“Rohit, i’m Suresh Uncle talking.”
“Oh, ya, Hello uncle. How are you ? ”
“I’m good…but…”
“What happened, uncle? ”
“Beta, i’m sorry to say, but your dad has passed away….”
“What are you talking, uncle? What ?! What happened?!?!”

“Even we don’t know beta, he was just standing in his cabin, suddenly, his head started to pain, and he fell off due to the strain and in minutes his heart stopped pumping and till the time doctors reached, he had passed away.”

The crowd suddenly started to seem less lively. The iron machines’ sound was not irritating him anymore. Though his eyes still told him he was standing in mid of a street in Dwarka, he felt as if surrounded by a large black covering which was silent, and dark. The darkness was dense. The place seemed so silent that even after he placed his second hand on his heart, he couldn’t hear or sense a single heartbeat.
That 1 moment was unimaginable, unbearable and hurtful. Only a month ago, had the same tragedy happened with his cousin sister. Now, it was his turn, he thought. As the images of how hurt her sister was, rolled through his brain, he decided, he can’t be like her. He knew how much she had cried. He was not going to be the same. All this was one long thought of the moment. Then he answered the call again, which he had hung up before, after the last sentence by Suresh Uncle.
“Hello,… ” in a afraid voice, he continued. “..uncle.”
“Beta, suno…tum…”
He interrupted, “Uncle, have you told it to mom?”
He was worried about his mom. His Mom and Dad didn’t have a Very Good relationship, but they were together at all times when the life was harsh at any. There was some Love between the two but they didn’t used to show it. Knowing all this, he thought, if the news had gone to mom(answer to which seemed most probably yes) she must would have broke up and would be weeping at home.
He didn’t care to think about the show once more and started walking towards the nearest metro station.
“Yes, she and your Tayaji and Bua have been told about this through other colleagues of your dad.”
“Okay, uncle, i’ll talk to you later.” said he, hung up the phone and speeded towards Dwarka Mod station.
When he had reached Uttam Nagar, that’s his station. He swiftly ran across the stairs, jumped a few and continued his run towards the home.
While passing through a street that was at 3 minutes distance from his home, he found 2 of his best friends talking at gate of home of one of them. Shrey and Akshay, he noticed. He felt, seeing them slowed him down a bit, so he again started sprinting. He didn’t have any time to look up to them, smile and go n hug each of them. His only priority in the world at that time was his Mom. He had to rush as fast as he could. As he was passing close to the 2 guys, he could faintly hear what they were talking about. They were looking at Rohit, and rohit was staring at them but he was walking as fast as he could now.
He read their lips or expressions or what, he didn’t know. Somehow, he could make out what they talked about.

….and only this much Rohit could hear.
He started looking straight, he didn’t want to look at them, rather. But, as soon as he was to think about what kind of friends are they, he was again remembered of her mom. He again hurried and slowed down just when he had entered his colony. Now he thought, how he has to handle it all. “It was all on him now, Responsibilities, Looking after hisself and his Mother, he had to do it now. He has to be courageous and act brave. He has to leave dependancy. He has to be the new father. The new head of the house. ” he said to himself.
As soon as he had ended with the thought, he had put in his first step in the house. It was opened. Lots of chappals were there outside the gate just like they are at a temple. He entered the home and went to the second room where his Mom was weeping with his cousin brothers and his tayaji around her. As soon as she saw him, she came running to him. He had seen almost the same view a month ago. He was shocked at that time(month ago) as he was seeing this all for the first time. But now, he knew how it all happens-How much does a wife feels. He hugged her hard and tried not to cry.
Still, he couldn’t stop the tears. He was still a 17 year old boy, afterall. But he wiped them away with his hand and patted on his mother’s back. He reminded himself, he had to act strong. He doesn’t have to be like his sister was. He had to be the reason for living. For life, of him and his mother.
As he was talking to his mom holding her in his arms, his tayaji went outside for asking about the body and his brothers told him, they’ll be back in 20minutes. Meanwhile, he took her mom to the 3rd room. The room that didn’t have any picture or photograph of his dad. Just so that it would help him make her mom stop crying.
It was his room. A room, totally dedicated to him. There were posters of Eminem on the wall and the plasma and the computer turned on. As they moved a bit, the mouse got a bit disturbed and the screensaver vanished making the window that was opened appear again. It was “Thapar College Admission Letter.” Thapar is one of the best Private institutes of India. He had worked hard for getting it. But, it was in Punjab. His priority was still his mom. He made her sit, gave her a glass of water and said, “Mom, i’m not leaving you. I’ll get admission in some college, here in delhi. I would be with you each n every moment and we’ll live our life together now. I’ll live for you and you for me. We’ll work together. There’s no need to cry.” and wiped her tears with his hand “Dad is with us. He’s up there, seeing us two, and he’s happy. God loved his soul and was missing him, so he took him back. But, we still have our lives left. And, we’ll work it out together.” She gave him a smile, tears were still dropping down her cheeks. He hugged her…

…

And then, a disturbing squeaky sound came. Like, one of falling down of a steel glass or something similar. His eyes partially opened. He turned sideways and saw the wallclock. It said 10.10am. The first thing that striked him, was that he’s still on his sofa. Shocked, he sat up in a sudden action. Khatron ke Khiladi was still going on on the TV. His mom was still watching it. The same stunt was going on, with a third contestant. It was the semi-finals.
“Good morning! Don’t be shocked, you’ve lost the chance of going off for the football match. Its 10.10 now! ”
“Mom, that’s okay,” answered rohit with a confused face and continued. “Is this Khatron ke khiladi happening in Delhi? ”
“??? . . . . No…! Why would that happen? They are shooting in Cape town, South Africa. What happened? ”
He passed a short smile and replied, ” No, nothing. ”
As, he was passing by his mom, going towards washroom, he again asked mom, “Why are you watching this silly Khatron ke khiladi in the morning? Didn’t you watch it last night ? ”
“No, i didn’t. Remember? We had all gone to Suresh uncle’s party. So, i’m watching the repeat telecast.”
“Oh, ya, i remember it!” said he and walked away from living room to his room.

He sat on a couch, he had in his room and started thinking about the dream.
Though, he was sure now, it was all a dream. A Dream within a dream to be precise. A dream that would be called as ‘A Nightmare’ by many. A dream that had a great impact on him. He knew, it was all a dream. A dream, something, that’s not real. Still, he felt a bit worried for a moment about his father. Was he fine at the office? Should he call once to enquire?
But, then, he thought again, that’s exactly why he had seen the dream. He knew what he had to do, if something (god forbid) like that ever happens. He knew exactly what he had to do! So, he didn’t make a call.

Later that night, he was chatting with his girlfriend on facebook and his dad arrived. He told her, he’ll talk to her later. As his dad made his entrance to the living room, he took the bag from dad and asked him if he needs water. Also, the first time, in his entire life, he asked his father, ”how was the day?”

He also learnt a lot about ‘dreams’ that day, but that’s not needed in this post. 😉

6 Comments

You understood those 3 words correctly. “Skies and Responsibilities”
The funny thing is, when i commented this on your status on fb, i wasn’t thinking about this post, i had even not started writing it. Somehow, these were the words that came to my mind, and they do fit in here as well.